The project of a large circus in ancient Rome. Circus Maximus - ancient stadium in Rome

The circus familiar to us, which both children and adults love to go to, did not appear immediately. It is connected with the first circus only by a rounded shape. And the performances with which Rome initially entertained its public were of a more cruel nature.

Warlike inhabitants

Roman soldiers most spent their lives raiding neighboring states. This could not but leave a certain imprint on their character. Even when they return home, they demand bloodshed and battles. This is exactly what happened in the walls of the circus.

So, people could fight with each other, people with animals, although, rather, on the contrary, since often wild animals were several times stronger and won in one sitting. Sometimes only animals would perform in a makeshift arena, furiously trying to survive in a deadly fight. But it all started with high-speed chariot riding competitions.

Four horses were harnessed to two-wheeled wooden carts with riders dressed in different colors. They had to drive seven times, describing circles. The winner was the one who came to the intended line the fastest. Usually there were four drivers, but they could make races at the request of the spectators and the magistrate from morning to evening.

It seems that there is nothing complicated in this. In fact, it was very dangerous to drive two pairs of lathered horses, who strive to throw off a rider at every turn, it was very dangerous. On top of that, in the center circus arena a stone awn up to 1.5 meters high was installed, repeating the shape of the circus itself. On its flat top was a row of statues of the gods, including Victoria (goddess of victory), Fortune (goddess of luck) and a kind of scoreboard. And in the corners there were pillars that could easily be collided with, having incorrectly calculated the entrance to the turn, and crashed. Therefore, chariot riders have always chosen between taking a short turn and risking death, or taking a few seconds to circle the obstacle safely.

Needless to say, the competition was not without lethal cases. The audience did not hide their emotions either. From above, they poured out streams of screams, laudatory words, abuse, whistling to the losers on the participants.

Rewarding

The winners were waiting for a significant reward: a bag of gold, Laurel wreath, Palm branch. By the way, both people and horses were awarded. In general, there was a special attitude towards horses in ancient Rome. They were selected only from the most valuable breeds, they spent a lot of money on it. For a particularly thoroughbred trotter they could go to distant lands. Riders could make a fortune by racing regularly. But often the excitement exceeded the opinion of reason, and they competed until they could hold the reins in their hands or until they died there. And they were replaced by more and more thirsty for fame and money.

Soon for the competition began to choose participants from four different groups: white, red, blue and green. Different stakes were made on their victory, even the emperor did not see anything shameful in supporting one of the riders. Later, based on the game, four political parties, And significant role it was in the public interest which of its representatives won the races!

Gladiator fights

Later, chariot races were replaced by gladiator fights and animal baiting. The Romans especially revered these types of "circus skills", because blood was regularly shed on them, the cries of the victorious and the groans of the vanquished were heard. But in battles, they did not just inflict wounds on each other: skirmishes of gladiators required special skills, cunning and dexterity in order to stay alive as long as possible, and the audience managed to get enough of the spectacle.

That is why, before entering the field, the gladiator passed special training in the school of fighters by the ability to hold any weapon, throw spears. As a rule, schools taught slaves and prisoners of war. Both those and others had no other choice but to win on the field and wait for the next fight or die. Sometimes the urban poor also joined the ranks of the gladiators, who received a roof over their heads and food, but no preferential terms they had no content.

"Performance" could have several scenarios, but more often it happened like this: two opponents entered the field in bright clothes, which covered small areas of the body. One of them played the role of a fisherman, armed with a net and a spear with three tips, and the second was a fish with a shield and a knife, which had to be the first to hit the catcher.

The more wounds the competitors inflicted on each other, the more it inflamed the spectators who supported them from the stands. When one of the gladiators realized that his time was numbered, he could ask for mercy from the audience, and only they decided the outcome of the battle. Thumb, raised up, gave the unfortunate life, if the fist with a finger went down, the defeated were finished off.

Gladiator fights existed for about half a millennium (105 AD - 404 AD). And all this time they were very popular.

Bestiaries and fights of wild animals

But if there was at least some chance of survival, the fight with a wild beast in most cases ended in failure. Against an angry bear or wild boar, a man was released, practically not armed with anything. Therefore, the victory of a slave was considered something akin to a divine miracle.

When the Romans got tired of human fights, animal battles were arranged in the arena, and outlandish ones, for example, a rhinoceros or an elephant with a boar, a lion, a wild bear. In order to make the attack more violent, they tried to anger the animals, and then they arranged a meeting for them. Or they could be tied together and watched as a huge ball of wool and flesh became bloodied. But the roar of the wounded animals was not heard - it was drowned out by the enthusiastic roar of the crowd.

Where did they get the animals from?

At the time of the Roman attacks, the newly captured territories were obliged to send wild animals to Italy. Lines of cages with them constantly arrived in Rome, after which the animals were kept in the zoo until it was their turn to perform. Sometimes the animals were trained and then shown to the public. However, peaceful circus numbers did not take root in Rome, the audience could not just refuse the scenes of bloodshed.

What was he like?

About 600 years ago BC The first circus appeared in Rome. It consisted entirely of wood, so it was of small width and height. Gradually, it was rebuilt, so the base became stone with marble inserts and bronze trim, while the top remained wooden. So it could be easily disassembled at the right time and enlarged. From the outside, the building looked like a large ring-shaped wall, consisting of arcades and colonnades. A narrow staircase led to each arched passage so that the audience would not crowd, taking their seats.

From the inside, it looked like a spacious field in the center, surrounded by overhanging stands. A white canvas stretched over the top protected from rain and sun. The lowest places - only for important people: the emperor himself, the consul and other nobility - were made of stone. Wooden benches were intended for ordinary residents. Often, saving on the upper buildings led to tragedies: part of the top could catch fire or simply collapse, and the huge crowding of people did not allow them to escape.

Great Roman Circus

The most exciting fights took place in the Main Circus of Rome, located between the Palatine and Aventine hills. The arena was 590 meters long and 80 meters wide. Outstanding emperors alternately took part in its construction: Lucius Tarquinius, Gaius Julius Caesar, Nero, Constantine. However, it is considered the most famous circus structure today. In total, there were about seven circuses in Rome alone, they were also in others. major cities- Carthage, Corinth, Lyon - and, according to various sources, accommodated from 50 to 150 thousand people.

Secret meaning, or the demand for "bread and circuses"

Circus entertainments were held quite often and required massive financial investments. Login to spectator seat was free, in addition, the organizers were obliged to feed the public well. And while they were enjoying the spectacle, mountains of meat, wine, fruits were waiting for them below. However, until the nobles ate enough, commoners were not allowed to the tables.

The state would not tolerate such waste if it had another opportunity to create the illusion of a prosperous state. In this way, they tried to appease people and prevent riots that now and then break out in Italy. The motto of the ruling elite was that it makes no sense for ordinary citizens to get into politics, it is better to let them have fun watching the fights that the emperor arranges in their honor!

This is where the expression "bread and circuses" came from. It displays cultural level the Romans of that time, who preferred not to know what was going on outside their country, but did not miss a single gladiatorial or bestiary duel.

is the largest hippodrome in ancient city. You can find it between the hills in Rome Aventine and Palatine, which, in turn, are located on the left bank. In other words, big circus in Rome located almost in the center modern city.

Name

The Great Circus in Rome, or Circo Massimo, took its name from Latin name, which sounds like Circus Maximus. The word Circus in one of its meanings is translated as a list, that is, a place for equestrian competitions. Previously, races were held in the valley located between the hills. According to historians, this event could mean a seasonal celebration organized in honor of Neptune the Horse.

The first such competitions date back to 500 AD. e., during the reign of Tsar Tarquinius Priscus in Rome. In this action, the chariots were harnessed by quadrigas, that is, by four horses, they raced in a straight line from the start. Further, having reached the edge of the valley, they made a U-turn, after which they rushed at full speed in the opposite direction, trying to be the first to reach the finish line.

Gradually, in the II century. BC, the rules were subject to change, which was due to the construction of a water pipe in Rome, which began approximately in 146 BC. It was laid along the bottom of the valley with a preliminary excavation of the tunnel, reaching a height of 4.5 meters and a width of 2.5 meters. A hill stretched across the whole arena. They did not level it, because the horses in the competitions were started up in a circle. Because of this, the second meaning, which has latin word Circus is a circle. In the future, the word circus became a derivative of it. And indeed, the circus turned out to be “massimo”, because it was large, stretching over the entire valley in size. If we talk about numbers, then its width was 150 m, while it was over 600 in length.

If we consider historical descriptions Circus Maximus in Rome for different time periods, you can notice that they are different. At first, spectators wishing to look at the equestrian competitions being held found a place for themselves directly on the hill. Later, the first buildings were organized on it. These were benches set up for the wealthy and respected citizens of Rome. A wooden start and stalls for horses were also installed.

The heyday of the Circus Maximus fell on the reign of the first emperors of Rome. Then the Circus Maximus in Rome was one of the most impressive buildings in the city. In the 1st century BC. Caesar made certain changes to its features. So, under his decree, a restructuring was carried out. Under her, the arena, which had the Circus Maximus in Rome, was expanded and lengthened. A canal was dug around it. Since that time, the new dimensions of the Circus Maximus have made it possible to accommodate 12 quadrigas at once. The arena was 118 meters wide and 621 meters long.

A fence was erected around the stadium, wooden stands intended for the patricians, as well as tiers oriented to the public "simpler" were erected. IN total there were 150,000 seats in the Circus Maximus, and in the next few centuries their number was doubled. In addition, almost the same number of spectators watched the outcome of the competitions in the arena of the Circus Maximus standing.

From the side of one of the ends of the arena of the Circus Maximus, three towers were equipped. Of these, the central one was equipped with a gate, providing the possibility of entering inside. The remaining two towers were attached to the punishment cells for horses, that is, special stalls. Passing through the gates erected on the opposite side, the Circus Maximus in Rome left the winners of the competition.

The surviving echoes of the past

In the center along the arena of the Circus Maximus there was a narrow platform, it was decorated with ancient Egyptian obelisks. Both obelisks in this decoration have survived to this day. You can see them today on Narodnaya, or on Piazza del Popolo, as well as on the Piazzale Roma, located opposite the Lateran Palace, this is Palazzo del Laterano.

The platform ended on both sides with metas, which were rounded, equipped with pillars and arranged in the form of cones. One of the metes served as a place to start the chariot race, the completion of the race was at the opposite end of the Circus Maximus arena, after overcoming seven circles. The circles had to be counted, for which a pair of special stands installed on the platform were used, each of them is designed for 7 balls. Some time later, compact fountains resembling dolphins were equipped near them. They had their own meaning, because dolphins served as sea horses for Neptune, the patron of the stadiums.

The Circus Maximus attracted the people of Rome for the next 500 years after Caesar's reign. It seemed that the decline of glory would not touch him for a long time. Hopes for the best were reinforced by the fact that the ruling emperors often made certain changes, thus decorating the Circus Maximus in Rome.

In 31 BC there was a fire, after which the ruling emperor of Rome, Augustus, contributed to the restoration of the Circus Maximus, giving it the form in which it is known today. Stone tribunes served as the basis for it; these are steps designed for privileged spectators. They were, for example, horsemen and senators. The upper tiers remained wooden, arcades were equipped on the outside, which housed taverns and shops. After Augustus, the Circus Maximus in Rome continued to decorate as well. So, during the reign of Claudius, the punishment cells became marble, the metas - completely golden. The reign of Nero in Rome was marked by the expansion of the arena, in which the canal was buried.

The races were held in last time in Rome in 549. Then reigning emperor was Totilus. The same time became the starting point, which for the Circus Maximus in Rome can be described as the era of destruction.

The stone used in ancient buildings was dismantled by the inhabitants of Rome, using it for the further construction of new buildings. The remains of the Great Circus gradually began to be covered with soil. During excavations carried out by archaeologists in the XIX century. before construction on the site of the Great Circus Gas Plant, the lower rows were found. Their depth "went" down by 6 meters.

Concerning current situation, in which the Great Circus in Rome turned out to be, now where it was before, there is a large oval glade. The ruins left from the former Grand Circus in the form of stone stands, marble punishment cells and parts of the paths do not leave anyone indifferent, shaking with their size.

Now it is also a very important recreational area in Rome. It is often used for parades. military equipment and for concerts and other solemn events. The birthday of Rome, by the way, is also traditionally celebrated on the territory of the Circus Maximus. In 2014, by the way, a concert was held here Rolling Stones. legendary band performed precisely in Rome as in the only place on the territory of Italy. Needless to say, over 65 thousand fans of the group gathered here for this event.

Circus Maximus in Rome: how to get there

The Circus Maximus can be reached in five minutes on foot from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Directly to the Circus Maximus, the Kaka Staircase, following from the Palatine Hill in Rome, also leads. It is believed that just here at one time As, the three-headed shepherd, the son of Medusa and Hephaestus, also known for the fact that he spewed out flames, hid the best of Gerion's cows stolen from Hercules. Hercules himself was sleeping peacefully on the banks of the Tiber at the time of the theft. Here he entered into battle with Kak, subsequently returning what was stolen from him.

So, returning to modern conditions in deciding how to see the Circus Maximus in Rome, we note that you can use the subway for this. Line B is needed here, on which you will need to get to the Circo Massimo station of the same name.

If you want to use other types of public transport in Rome from a certain point of departure, then buses 75, 60 81, 175 and 160, as well as tram number 3, will take you to the Circus Maximus without much difficulty for you.

To move freely around Rome on any type of public transport, do not forget to purchase the Roma Pass discount card in advance. You can do it online link .

According to historians, the events that are relevant to the famous legend of the Sabine women, which have taken root as a favorite plot in world culture, took place precisely in Rome, in the valley of the Circus Maximus.

The times of Romulus are characterized by the fact that Rome, in all its then size, was placed on the Palatine hill, but he was so strong that he was able to subjugate everyone around him. Meanwhile, there were no women in the city, and therefore even such a place was at risk of disappearing into oblivion due to the inability to continue the race. The warriors turned to their neighbors for help in this matter, but they were refused. Romulus did not give up, but acted more cunningly. He organized a celebration by inviting neighbors to celebrate it at the very foot of the Palatine, in a large valley.

The festival was the day of Neptune, as we know, in this case we are talking about the god of horses. Among the other guests who arrived, the Sabines also came to him, and not alone, but with their wives and children. In the midst of the celebration, the Roman youths began to kidnap the Sabine women.

The Great Circus (Circo Massimo, Chirko Massimo) is most big hippodrome in ancient rome, located on the left bank of the Tiber River, between the Palatine and Aventine hills, almost in the center of the modern city.

The name Circo Massimo - Big Circus - comes from the Latin Circus Maximus. One of the meanings of the word Circus is arena, place for equestrian competitions. Horse racing has been taking place in the valley between the hills for centuries - historians suggest that this may have been a seasonal celebration in honor of Neptune the Horseman.

The first competitions were held in Rome in 500 BC, during the reign of King Tarquinius Priscus (lat. Lucius Tarquinius Priscus). Chariots harnessed by four horses - quadrigas - raced from the start in a straight line. When they reached the end of the valley, they turned around and galloped back at full speed, trying to come to the finish line first.

In the II century BC. the rules changed due to construction in Rome around 146 BC. plumbing. It was laid along the bottom of the valley, digging a tunnel 4.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide. A hill stretched along the entire arena, which they did not level, but let quadrigas go in a circle. So the second meaning of the Latin Circus, a circle, was fully justified, and then the Italian word Circo (circo) appeared. The circus was indeed a "massimo" - large, the size of an entire valley, 150 meters wide and more than six hundred meters long.

Description

Descriptions of the circus different periods development are different. At first, spectators wishing to watch equestrian competitions were placed directly on the slopes of the hill. Gradually, the first buildings appeared: benches for the most respected and wealthy citizens, a wooden start and stalls for horses.

Now, thanks to the new dimensions (118 m wide and 621 long!) It simultaneously contained 12 quadrigas.

A fence was erected around the stadium, wooden stands for the patricians and simpler tiers for the public were built. There were 150,000 seats, in subsequent centuries their number more than doubled. At least the same number of fans were worried about the outcome of the standing competitions.

At one end of the arena there were three towers, the central one with a gate for entering inside, stalls for horses - punishment cells were attached to the other two in a semicircle. The winners left the circus through the gate from the opposite side.

Along the arena, in the center, there was a narrow platform, decorated with two ancient Egyptian obelisks. Both obelisks survived and decorate in Rome (Piazza del Popolo) and the square in front of the Lateran Palace (Palazzo del Laterano).

On both sides, the platform was completed by roundings with pillars in the form of cones - metami. From one of the met, the chariot race began to end at the opposite end of the arena after seven laps. The circles had to be counted; for this, two stands were installed on the platform, each for seven balls. Over time, small fountains appeared nearby in the form of dolphins - sea horses of the patron saint of the stadiums, Neptune.

Sunset

After Caesar, Circo Massimo attracted the inhabitants of Ancient Rome for another half a millennium. It seemed that the decline of his glory was not soon. Many emperors who ruled in Rome contributed to the decoration of the circus.

So, after the fire that happened in Rome in 31 BC, restored the circus and gave it its final shape. Its basis was stone stands in the form of steps for privileged spectators - senators and horsemen. The two upper tiers remained wooden; arcades with shops and taverns appeared outside. The decoration continued after Augustus: under Claudius, the punishment cells-stalls became marble, and the metas became gold, under Nero, in the name of expanding the arena, a canal was dug.

The last time the races took place at the Circus Maximus was in 549, during the reign of Emperor Totila. After that, the era of destruction began.

The Romans dismantled the stone from ancient buildings for the construction of new buildings, the remains were covered with soil. Archaeologists who excavated in the 19th century before the construction of a gas plant on this site discovered the lower rows of the circus at a depth of 6 meters.

Today in Rome, on the site of the Circus Maximus, there is a vast oval-shaped glade. The remaining ruins - parts of the path, marble punishment cells and stone stands - amaze our contemporaries with their size.

Here is a very important recreation area for the city. Often it is used for mass celebrations, parades of military equipment, concerts and celebrations.

How to get there

You can get to Massimo on foot in 5 minutes from (Foro Romano) and (Colosseo), and from the Palatine Hill directly to the circus, the Caca stairs (Scalae Caci) lead directly to the circus. She keeps the memory of the tenth feat of Hercules. They say that it was here that the three-headed shepherd, spewing flames, Kak, the son of Hephaestus and Medusa, hid the two best cows of Geryon, stolen by him from Hercules, sleeping on. Here, Hercules entered into single combat with Kak and returned the stolen.

If fatigue takes its toll, the most convenient way is to take the metro and get to the Circo Massimo station (line B). Also brought here:

• buses No. 60, 81, 75, 160 and 175;
• tram number 3.

Legend of the Sabines

Historians suggest that the events of the legend of the Sabine women, which has become a favorite subject of world culture, unfolded right here, in the valley of the Circus Maximus.

In the time of Romulus, all of Rome fit on the Palatine and was so strong that it could subjugate everyone around. But in the city of warriors there were no women, there was no one to continue the race. They turned to their neighbors for help, but were refused, and then the cunning Romulus invited them to celebrate in a large valley at the foot of the Palatine the feast of Neptune, the god of horses. Among others, the Sabines also came, taking with them their wives and children. In the midst of the holiday, Roman youths rushed to kidnap Sabine women - Sabine women.

Their husbands and brothers could not stand the insult and soon laid siege to Rome, but the same the women who started it all were able to reconcile the men. This was the beginning of the unification of scattered fortified settlements on seven hills into an ancient and eternal city.

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What, if not the scale of urban planning, can emphasize the greatness and prosperity of the state? great country- great buildings. And this fully applies to the Great Roman Empire, in which, from its very inception, great attention architectural art, erected magnificent structures that still amaze with their grandiosity and functionality.

One of these amazing objects is the Circus Maximus or the Circus Maximus - the first and largest arena built in ancient Rome for sports games and festive spectacles held several centuries before our era by the royal Tarquinius Priscus. In fact, it was a huge area for agricultural work in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills. After the harvest, horse races were organized here, in which up to 12 chariots harnessed by quadriga horses could take part. To cover the distance, the chariot had to rush in a straight line, and then turn around and fly back. The arena itself and the seats for spectators were temporary.

But these competitions were so fond of the Romans that former field decided to leave it exclusively for equestrian competitions, and built a colorfully painted wooden start. It was in 329 BC. Somewhat later, under the arena, at a depth of 4.5 meters, a sewer tunnel was laid, which eventually began to rise like a ridge between the sports tracks. For better conditions competitions changed the rules, ordering the chariots to travel not in a straight line, but around the arena, thus forming the first ring hippodrome.

In the oldest documents that have survived to this day, many images and descriptions of the Great Circus in different time his existence. Time passed, emperors changed, changing the appearance of the great stadium. Julius Caesar increased the space of the circus to 600 meters and Circus Maximus was able to accommodate about 250,000 seated spectators and the same number of standing fans. Three towers with stalls for horses and a gate for the entry of competing chariots were connected to the gate for the winner on the opposite side by a long narrow platform laid in the middle of the arena. The platform was decorated with obelisks and sculptured fountains in the form of dolphins in honor of the god Neptune, the patron of games.

The reign of Augustus brought the Circus Maximus a permanent form. The steps closest to the hippodrome were assigned to high-born horsemen and senators, the lower floor was stone, and the other two were wooden, which burned more than once during the times of different rulers. The huge building was repeatedly rebuilt, restored and decorated. The Grand Circus hosted the last horse races in its arena in 549 during the reign of Totila.

In the Middle Ages, the ancient stones of the stadium were dismantled for the construction of buildings, and in XIX century part of the legendary valley was taken away for the construction of a gas factory. But, nevertheless, most of the first hippodrome remained intact and some buildings, parts of the stands, fragments of the starting gates, retained an imprint of the history of Ancient Rome. And now, holidays, festivals and rock concerts are held in the arena of the Circus Maximus, miraculously combining modern musical art With historical architecture times of the great Roman Empire.

big circus was the largest stadium in ancient Rome and could accommodate about 250 thousand people. This amounted to almost a quarter of the population of the capital in those ancient times.

Chariot racing was one of the most popular forms of entertainment for Roman citizens. It is said that even Romulus, the first of the seven kings of Rome, participated in these contests. The big circus has rich history that began in the 6th century BC. e., when the fifth king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus, created this arena between the hills of Palatino and Aventine.

The fire of 31 BC e. was the first of three to destroy the wooden structure of the stadium. The Great Circus was reconstructed by Emperor Augustus, who added an imperial box here. It was decorated with an obelisk brought from Heliopolis. Today, this obelisk is located in Piazza del Popolo. Another obelisk was added to the structure as early as the 4th century.

The second fire occurred in the 1st century, during the time of Emperor Nero. It was a truly destructive flame, which at that time destroyed most of the capital, many sights of Rome were damaged www.earth-tour.ru/rim, although later most of them were restored.

The Circus Maximus itself was restored in 103, during the time of Trajan. The Roman Empire was then at the peak of its power and this huge building reflected this status. Now it was a stone structure 3 stories high. The ground floor and stands were built of marble.

The Grand Circus has become a complex arena, 600 meters long and 150 meters wide, where competitions take on a whole new dimension and grandeur, evoking enthusiastic emotions from the public.

The great circus was sometimes used for other events as well, such as religious processions or gladiator fights, but it was mainly used for chariot races. They were extremely popular with the Romans and gathered a huge number of people who supported their favorites. The participants were divided into 4 groups: red, white, green and blue. These groups represented the 4 seasons, respectively, summer, winter, spring and autumn.

The last chariot competition at the Circus Maximus took place in 549 AD, nearly one millennium after the first. Unfortunately, today one can only discern the place where one of the greatest buildings once stood. ancient world. Most parts of this arena were used as building material for many medieval renaissance buildings.